


Fortune Cookie

by MrsEm



Category: Avengers, Captain America (Movies), Marvel, Steve Rogers - Fandom
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-03
Updated: 2019-07-03
Packaged: 2020-06-03 09:00:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19460716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrsEm/pseuds/MrsEm
Summary: Fate would have it that they met on that day and fate would have it that they would become something to one another. A story about all those little bits of your life filled with goings-on, conversations and experiences that can and should only be shared with someone you care about.





	Fortune Cookie

The metropolis was bustling, people, cars, everything was moving in all directions. The summer heat brought everybody out of their offices, men rolling up shirt sleeves and women fanning themselves with books and magazines. Not a spare wall, bench or clean pavement wasn't taken up by someone eating their lunch, catching up with loved ones or just doing whatever they did when not at work. Diana Ricco was no different, except she had decided to splash out and go to one of the many overpriced cafes that lined the streets with outside seating. She'd luckily managed to get herself a small little table curb side and ordered her tea before the lunchtime rush, deciding her own hour's one of the perks of being self-employed. It wasn't a habit of hers to spend a ridiculous amount of money on a pot of tea, surrounded by people chatting as loud as possible but the sun had lured her out and now that she could feel the tingle of heat on her nose she was happy she had.

"My apologies Ma'am, is this seat taken?" Diana looked up; shielding her eyes from the sun she could just about make out the silhouette of a tall, baseball hat wearing man standing in front of her with a coffee cup in hand. She assumed that he'd probably ordered his coffee before realising there was nowhere to sit, looking around and seeing there really was nowhere for him to go she went against her better judgement and nodded for him to sit. Her manners trumping her cautious nature.

"No, no it isn't…" she fumbled over her words, still nervous about all of a sudden sharing her table with someone.

"May I…?" he interrupted her and Diana laughed, telling herself to calm down, the poor fella just wanted to drink his coffee!

"Be my guest," she finished and watched as the man sat down and placed his coffee in front of him, giving her a polite nod. Returning her focus back to the book she held in her hands she heard him whistle slowly and couldn't help but look back up.

"Is it me or does the city seem a lot busier than usual?" Diana thought his smile was warm, matched with the strong jaw, sunglasses and baseball cap she found she was smiling in response, not worried about finding herself in a conversation with a stranger she didn't want to be in! Not yet anyhow!

"It's the weather, a bit of sun and we all come out of the woodwork." She answered him pleasantly.

They both fell into their own goings-on, Diana continued to read her book and Mister Baseball Cap and Sunglasses watched the world go by. Well that wasn't entirely true, he'd found himself watching the woman he was sat with read her book, he noticed she moved her lips ever so slightly when reading. She smiled and frowned at different intervals and hurried to turn the page, obviously reading an exciting part. He leant his head sideways, trying to read the title and as he did Diana caught sight of what he was doing.

"It's called 'The Rise of Bronze Age Society'," she told him, showing him the cover.

"From the expressions on your face I thought it was a crime novel or something?!" he laughed, slightly surprised.

"I find it fascinating!" Diana gushed, unable to keep her excitement at bay. "I'm Diana," she held her hand out across the table and watched as he brought his own up, grasping her hand firmly.

"Nice to meet you Diana, I'm Steve." He replied, thinking to himself that she looked very much like Ann Miller.

"Are you on your lunch break?" she asked and Steve couldn't help but laugh, he was glad though when Diana seemingly didn't take it the wrong way and continued to look at him expectantly for his answer.

"Yes, you?" he answered warily. He usually kept a low profile when out in public and he certainly didn't make a habit of sitting with a stranger and making small talk! He'd taken the chance though, something about being able to sit on the sidewalk with a coffee in the sun making it worth the risk. On the face of it he'd got away with it, the woman sat opposite him, Diana, not recognising him. He felt slightly guilty, why he wasn't sure. It wasn't a necessity for him to introduce himself wherever he went, nothing more was socially necessary than what he had provided already.

"Yes, I don't tend to venture out but the sun was calling me and it's been a very long time since I've sat out like this in the city." Just as she finished speaking a large group of men on a close by table shouted and cheered while another table of mostly women clapped and whistled. Diana turned back to Steve and grimaced, "I'm remembering why it's been a long time," she told him and Steve couldn't help but laugh. Both of their attentions were caught by a couple hovering by, the man holding a tray full of plates and coffee cups as the woman looked at them down her nose, eyeing their empty cups and tutting.

Diana, not enjoying the dirty looks, packed up her book and got up immediately, as did Steve and as they made their way through the tables and chairs they found themselves stood staring back at the sea of people.

"Well, it was nice to meet you Steve." Diana gave him a tight smile as the pair were pushed and shoved by the moving crowd.

"And you," Steve said, protecting Diana from the oncoming pedestrian traffic. There was a moment when neither of them moved, it probably only lasted a second, but both of them hesitated. Steve finally set off and as Diana turned in the same direction they both laughed nervously. Neither knew what to say so they both concentrated on weaving in and out of the crowd, the tide of people walking in the opposite direction to them both.

Diana felt a hand grab the strap of her satchel and pull, her eyes darted to people stood around her but she could see no one looking at her directly. The hand continued to pull however so Diana stopped still and grabbed the strap with both her hands. Steve had noticed her stop but wasn't sure why? Diana locked eyes on a man close by her who suspiciously kept his eyes down, he wasn't moving either.

"Let. Go. Now." Diana ground out through clenched teeth, her eyes darting to Steve who was now stood right behind the thief. Everything that had just happened took place in a matter of seconds, even though it felt like a lifetime to Diana. All of that mixed with the crowd around them and the heat of the midday sun made Diana do something she would never normally do, she pushed the man. Diana wasn't a pushover but she wasn't fearless either, she'd always taken the path of least resistance when it came to danger. Cross the road, don't answer back, if somebody takes your bag let them! It's not worth getting hurt over. The fact was there was a manuscript from the library she was borrowing in her bag, which meant there was no way in hell she was going to let some chancer steal it! Pure luck meant the man fell backwards into Steve, or so Diana thought who held onto the man's arms with a vicelike grip. Steve knew instantly the man recognised him, all the colour draining from his face a dead giveaway.

"The lady told you to let go," he told him before giving him a million watt smile and heaving him over to a nearby Police Officer. Steve came back to Diana as quickly as possible who was hugging the satchel to her chest and breathing heavily. "Are you alright?" he asked her concerned.

"Yeah, I think so? Maybe? No, no not really!" Diana was panicking, the adrenaline kicking in and the logical part of her brain telling her how stupid she'd been.

"Come with me," Steve placed an arm round her shoulders and guided her down the closest side street and away from the hustle and bustle. "Just catch your breath," he told her calmly.

"I can't believe that just happened! Why did he do that?!" She stared at Steve in disbelief. "Why would anybody do that?! I mean, can you imagine if I'd been an old lady or had a heart condition! What an awful thing to do!" She was rambling she knew it but Steve just stood and nodded sympathetically.

"You handled it really well," he told her.

"I did?" she asked incredulously.

"Of course," Steve smiled and squeezed her arm, glad to see she was calming down.

"Thank you Steve, for helping me." The irony of her words weren't lost on him as he told her not to mention it. "I mean it, thank you." Steve felt himself blush and Diana found herself wondering what he looked like without the baseball cap or sunglasses.

"Are you alright," she asked suddenly, looking him over. Steve was struck at how much he appreciated her asking him that question.

"I'm fine Diana, thank you." He told her with a sweet smile. "Well, I'm glad I could help. Let me walk you the rest of the way okay," he offered.

"Oh no! You don't need to do that…" Diana protested.

"No, please, I insist." Steve again put a guiding arm round Diana's shoulders and the pair made their way back onto the main street.

Maybe only fifteen minutes later, all of it in silence, they stopped outside the entrance to an apartment building. Diana smiled at Steve as she swept her hair from one shoulder to the other.

"This is me, thank you again," she said offering her hand to him which he shook firmly.

"Not a problem, thank you for letting me sit at your table." They both laughed and Diana shook her head.

"I bet you weren't expecting all this when you sat down?" she told him jovially.

"No, I certainly wasn't!" Steve answered, shaking his own head. "Well, goodbye Diana." A part of him wanted to ask for her number, or ask her to meet him for a coffee but he didn't, it didn't seem right for so many reasons he didn't want to dwell on in that moment. Diana wanted desperately for him to do something and it certainly wasn't due to some archaic traditional idea that the man asks the woman that she didn't ask herself! She was just way too shy and certainly not forthright enough, it didn't seem right though, the idea of her never seeing him again.

"Goodbye Steve," walking up the steps she stopped at the top when she noticed the door had a keypad on it. "It's alright, you can go now!" her voice was high pitched and she knew she sounded strange. Steve eyed her suspiciously.

"This isn't your apartment building is it?" he guessed and Diana let out the breath she'd been holding.

"Oh God I'm so sorry Steve!" she apologised as she raced back down the steps towards him, her long cream linen skirt fluttering in the breeze. "I didn't want to, I mean I didn't think it was a good idea…" Why was she so concerned about insulting a stranger? She closed her eyes and tried to regain her composure. "You've been so kind and nothing more than the perfect gentleman but you have to be safe and I didn't know…" she was rambling again. She stopped talking when Steve held his hand up.

"Diana, you absolutely did the right thing. You're right, you can never be too careful." Looking up and down the residential street Steve turned back to Diana, "are you far away?" he asked.

"No, it's just up there." She told him, pointing a little further up the quiet street and colouring red from embarrassment.

"I'm sure you'll be fine from here, goodbye Diana." Steve smiled at her again and Diana could only grin back at him. Walking away Steve laughed to himself, well that was an interesting lunch!

"STEVE!" looking behind him he watched Diana hurry towards him clumsily, her satchel falling off her shoulder and the heel of her shoe making her trip and splay out her hands. He instinctively put his arms out, ready to catch her. Diana just laughed however and held on to her chest, the little jogging she'd done leaving her breathless. "I live there," she told him and then taking out a small pad and pen wrote down her number and handed it to him. "And that's my number, which I've never given out before and you're under absolutely no obligation to call but I'd kick myself later if I don't give it to you! Sorry, I'm rambling, sorry!" Giving him an awkward grin and shrugging her shoulders she ran back to the steps of her apartment and gave him a little wave before disappearing inside. Steve stood shocked and then looking down at the piece of paper in his hands, grinned himself. Definitely a lunch he wouldn't be forgetting in a long time!

The small fan on Diana's desk was doing nothing to alleviate the stifling heat that filled her apartment. The weather hadn't abated for weeks and Diana had come to the conclusion that she would forever wear her old cream linen smock dresses and nothing else. Papers fluttered on her desk and the low din of the fans whirring round and round sounded like it was coming from inside her own head. Pulling her hair from her neck she closed her eyes, wishing for a cold breeze and iced drink. The shrill of her phone broke her from her thoughts and seeing that it was an unknown number, answered professionally.

"Good morning, Diana Ricco speaking."

"Diana? Hi, this is Steve. Steve Rogers? From the café?" Diana knew who it was immediately although realised that she hadn't known his surname up until that point.

"Steve, hi, how are you?" she asked, genuinely happy to hear from him. It had been a week since they'd met and although he'd popped into her head a few times, Diana hadn't really thought much about him. Now though, she was very much happy that he had called.

"I'm well, thank you. You surviving the heat?" Diana laughed and told him she wasn't. "Do you fancy a nice cold drink, in the park perhaps?" Diana could hear the nervousness in his voice and found it utterly endearing. He'd appeared to her so confident and strong when they had shared the small table at the café, his back straight, shoulders square, he carried with him an air of authority.

"That sounds perfect, when shall we meet?" Steve could hear the smile in her voice and it instantly relaxed him.

"Are you free now?" he asked, feeling bold.

"Yes, it'll take me half an hour to get there." Diana was beaming.

"Half an...?"

"Thirty minutes," Diana clarified.

"I'll see you then, I'll meet you by the fountain?"

"The fountain, see you there."

"Bye Diana."

"Bye Steve." Ending the call Diana stared at her phone and then for some reason, she added the number to her contacts right away, typing his name and saving the number. Seeing the contact stare back at her she felt ridiculous and juvenile but she shrugged her shoulders and locked her phone. Grabbing her belt off of her bed she cinched in her dress and pulled on her shoes. Her hair was a big bouncy mess that she had no idea what to do with but her eyes darted around her bedroom and finally fell upon one of her many silk scarfs. Grabbing the material she twisted it quickly and wrapped it around her head, tying it in a bow at the front. Turning her head from side to side, looking at herself in the mirror she contemplated whether she looked cute or ridiculous. She settled on quirkily cute and skipped to her front door, pulling her satchel over her shoulder and closing her door behind her. She'd never moved so fast!

Steve stood in front of the fountain tapping his foot anxiously, he hadn't planned on ringing Diana. He hadn't really planned any of it! It had been Natasha that had forced his hand, finding the number in his jacket pocket (she'd told him it had fallen out) and insisting he ring her. He'd given a thousand and one reasons why he couldn't call her, shouldn't call her, all of which were received with a salty eye roll. It was what she'd said about second chances, about making 'all of it' worth something that had made him think that perhaps he needed to do more with his life than 'his duty'?

"Steve?" Spinning on his heel he saw that Diana was stood behind him, clutching the strap of her leather satchel close to her chest. Her beaming smile and blue eyes made him at once realise he'd made the right decision, no matter what the outcome.

"Diana, hi," he replied, rocking on his heels. "It's nice to see you again," he watched as she thanked him but blushed, her hand nervously going to the scarf in her hair. "Do you fancy that walk?" he asked her.

"Yes," she answered as they started off in the direction of the lake. "How have you been?" she asked him.

"Me? Fine, busy." He gave her a quick glance, he'd been mulling it over since they'd met. She really didn't know who he was, that or it hadn't registered yet. He'd been pretty sure earlier in the day that when he'd given her his full name she was going to say something. Yet the way she shyly looked at him as he spoke made him think that she really hadn't put two and two together. "What do you do Diana?" he asked as they made their way along the path.

"I'm a Genealogist," she told him quickly.

"Wow, what does that entail exactly?"

"I help trace people's ancestors. I can help to discover who your immigrant ancestors were and where they came from or I can research one of your family lines back to a specific time period or individual."

"Discover I'm from a royal lineage?" Steve joked.

"That's actually very rare but yes, that type of thing." Diana squinted against the sun as she peered up at Steve, shielding her eyes and grimacing slightly.

"How did you find yourself in that line of work?" Steve instinctively steered Diana out of the way of an oncoming cyclist, taking her elbow in his hand and moving her smoothly to one side. The small action didn't go unnoticed by Diana and she thanked him quietly as they continued on their way.

"It's always been a passion of mine, I got my bachelor's degree in family history and never looked back!" Stopping and standing in front of the lake Diana shifted her satchel onto her other shoulder. "I keep all my notes in this bag," she told him as she patted the weathered leather satchel. "I think that's why I reacted the way I did when that man tried to pinch it? Not in a million years would I have been so foolhardy if it had simply held my purse and lipstick!" she laughed, shaking her head and thinking back to that moment. "I've spent hours and hours researching one single person and it's all in here," she showed him the bag as she spoke and he found his hand traced one of the worn buckles lightly. "There was no way I was saying goodbye to all that work!" Steve enjoyed her zeal, she clearly had a passion and he found himself fascinated by the way her eyes danced as she spoke. "I'm sorry, I find I can't stop rambling sometimes…"

"Don't apologise, it's refreshing to meet somebody who is so openly enthusiastic about what they do, I find people these days rather cynical." Diana nodded her head in agreement.

"Oh I agree with you, I'm certainly not someone who 'can play it cool'," she air quoted as she spoke.

"That's fine by me," Steve smiled warmly at Diana.

"And you Steve?" Diana asked as Steve motioned towards a nearby bench. He waited for her to sit, watching as she delicately crossed her legs and set her satchel beside her, a protective arm covering it whilst her other shielded her eyes from the sun. Steve took his sunglasses off, part of his disguise and offered them to her.

"Here," he offered them to her.

"Oh no, thank you! I was in such a dash to get out I forgot mine but no, you keep them." Diana found herself staring into his eyes, being able to see them for the first time since they'd met. They were just as she suspected, blue orbs of strength and kindness. Oh boy was she in trouble!

"Please, you can't keep your arm up like that forever." Steve wiggled the glasses in front of her and Diana reluctantly obliged, taking them from him and slowly putting them on. Turning her head from one side to another she grinned at Steve.

"How do I look?" she asked good humouredly and he found he was lost for words.

"They look much better on you then me!" he told her.

"I highly doubt that but thank you," sitting back she mirrored Steve's posture, both of them facing the lake. "So what do you do Steve?" she asked again.

"I'm… a Captain, in the Army." He told her hesitantly. Diana wasn't entirely surprised, something about the way he held himself, the pristine neatness of his shirt had told her he was military of some kind.

"How long have you served?" Steve laughed despite himself, imagining telling her the truth but then something in her smile made him take the leap.

"Eighty two years," he told her simply to which Diana face stayed placid and Steve now really wished he could see her expressive eyes so he knew exactly what she was thinking. For Diana, the moment felt ludicrous because as his answer seeped in so did all the other little bits of the puzzle her unconsciousness had been putting together. History lessons, news clips, museum visits. Little bits of her memory filled in the blanks as she watched him watch her.

"Captain Rogers," she whispered slowly, not really knowing what to say.

"That's right," Steve confirmed.

"How did you find yourself in that line of work?" Diana repeated his own earlier question he'd asked her, a small smile appearing at the corners of her mouth and Steve smiled back at her.

"That's a long story," he jested.

"I can imagine so!" Diana suggested they continued walking and as they both stood, Steve instinctively held out his arm to her which Diana graciously accepted, hooking her arm through and resting her hand against his bicep hesitantly and delicately. "Oh, do you want these back?" she asked, pulling off the sunglasses. "I'm assuming you prefer to keep a low profile?" she asked tentatively. Steve took the glasses from her and put them back on.

"Yes, it helps." He told her just as Diana spotted a small boy pointing at him and tugging at his Mother's side.

When none of the usual questions arose from Diana, Steve found himself heaving a sigh of relief and asking her the questions. He learnt about her work, where she lived, the music she enjoyed and the food she liked. He found himself agreeing with the majority of her choices, happy to hear somebody explaining the same visceral experience they'd had upon trying the cronut that he'd had! When Steve spotted the vending cart nearby he offered to buy her an ice cream and was pleased when she wholeheartedly accepted.

"Cone or tub?" he asked her.

"Cone please," Diana answered a little too excitedly. Giving the Vendor their order Steve told Diana to put her money away when he noticed her digging into her satchel. "That's very kind, thank you." She told him as he offered the Vendor twenty dollars.

"No! No! Put your money away! These are on the house Cap!" The Vendor told him and Steve bowed his head slightly.

"Much obliged," he said before the pair walked away.

"That must happen quite a bit, people wanting to thank you for what you do?" Diana asked him as she keenly licked the ice cream that was dripping down the cone, Steve only nodded. Diana had to stop walking, ice cream dripping quicker than she could lick! Laughing Steve watched her twist the cone round and round in her hand, trying to stop it from dripping everywhere! "Are you laughing at me?!" she asked him sternly, watching as a blob of vanilla ice cream dropped onto his shirt.

"No!" Steve protested, not very convincingly.

"I think you are?!" Diana countered asking him to take hold of her ice cream whilst she fetched some tissues from her bag. Steve watched as he held his arms outstretched as Diana laughed and pulled two handkerchiefs from her satchel. "Here, give that one to me!" she said, taking back her cone.

"This wasn't the best idea I've had," Steve admitted.

"No, I'd say not, lesson learnt." Diana felt pity for him and went to wipe the ice cream from his shirt. "Here, let me." she said as she dabbed his shirt expertly. Steve looked down at her and then his shirt, the small act of kindness having more of an effect on him than he cared to acknowledge.

"Thank you," he whispered a little caught off guard.

"Don't mention it," Diana replied offering him the handkerchief. "Here, take it, you may need it again." Taking the soft cotton square he crumpled it up into his fist. Cleaning themselves up they discarded the remaining cones and carried on, laughing when Diana found a piece of crumbled cone in the lapel of her dress.

They fell into another silence as they neared the fountain once more, there full walk of the park and their time together drawing to a close.

"Do you find you get enough time for this sort of thing?" Diana asked Steve as they came to a standstill.

"What? Asking a girl to the park and dripping ice cream onto my shirt?" he laughed.

"Well, not exactly that but yes, you must be busy?"

"I am," he agreed.

"But it's what you do," Diana answered and in those five small words Steve found that Diana showed more understanding of what he did and who he was than almost anybody else he'd ever met.

"Yes," he agreed again.

"Well, in that case then I feel very privileged that you chose to spend your time off with me and I thank you for a lovely day." Diana smiled at him sweetly, trying to keep the butterflies in her stomach at bay.

"It was my pleasure," Steve looked down at Diana's big blue eyes, noticed the faintest hint of freckles on her nose and the small faded scar on her chin. An uncomfortable silence fell over them both until Diana cleared her throat and bounced on her heels.

"Well, I better be going, thank you again Steve and… and if you ever find yourself with some spare time again, I'd be happy to spill more food down myself!" she joked.

"That sounds swell," Steve found himself saying.

"Perhaps next time we could try a hot dog?" she shouted back at him as she swung her satchel over her shoulder and gave him a wave and Steve found himself nodding enthusiastically.

"Definitely."


End file.
